“Do not let the world…squeeze you into its…mould.” Romans 12:2
Howard Hendricks says, “A belief is something you will argue about. But a conviction is something you will die for.” Knowing what to do [knowledge], when to do it [wisdom], how to do it [ability], is worthless without the conviction to actually do it [obedience]. People without conviction follow the crowd, which is why Paul wrote, “Do not let the world… squeeze you into its…mould.” If we do not take a stand for something, we will fall for everything! Ironically, a lot of us have strong convictions about weak issues such as football, fashion, etc., while having weak convictions about major issues such as what is right and what is wrong before God. Conviction helps us grow spiritually. But growth requires time and effort. Without a deep conviction of our need to grow spiritually, we become discouraged and give up. No one stays with a task that is difficult unless they are convinced there is a good reason for doing so. Jesus’ life was dominated by the conviction that He came to do His Father’s will – nothing else! This conviction kept Him from being distracted by the agenda of others. Check the number of times Jesus used the phrase “I must.”
Why do cults attract so many people? This is because we all want something to believe in, something to give our lives for. Without clear, strong convictions we will never attract the level of commitment that Christ deserves. We must burn with a conviction that advancing the Kingdom of God is our calling and reason to live. Vance Havner said, “Jesus demands greater allegiance than any dictator that ever lived. The difference is, Jesus has a right to it!”
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